


Quitting Quidditch

by dark_pookha



Series: Lovegood-Potter Lunaverse [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Community: HPFT, F/F, Quidditch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 02:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7489392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_pookha/pseuds/dark_pookha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily Lovegood-Potter has quit playing Quidditch. Her team-mates and her girlfriend don't understand why. A story with Lily and Pandora from my story 'Waning.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quitting Quidditch

  
Pandora Lovegood-Potter easily avoided the Bludger headed her way, deked left, and when the Slytherin Keeper flinched that way, she threw the Quaffle through the right-most hoop. Yeardley, the Slytherin Captain, threw the Quaffle back into play carelessly, and Pandora intercepted it easily. She flew straight at the center hoop, knowing the Keeper thought it a ploy. As she broke right, he moved to cover the goal and she quickly adjusted course and scored in the central hoop.  
  
“Lovegood-Potter with a goal. Oh my! She steals the throw-in and scores on a great piece of flying! The score stands at Ravenclaw 150 and Slytherin 50.” Jake Stills’s voice boomed over the pitch.  
  
In the stands, Lily Lovegood-Potter watched her sister fly, and understood how she felt with the wind whipping, threatening to pull her long, black, French-braided hair loose. Lily closed her eyes and she could feel the broomstick and the pure joy of flying. She spun and dove in her mind as the broom responded to her whim. She reached out her hands in joy and clutched the broomstick with just her legs, her ankles wrapped around the base, near the bristles and did a No-Hand Centaur Jump maneuver.  
  
“Lily. Lily. Lily!” Justine’s shouting broke her out of her trance, and she turned her attention back to the match. Ravenclaw was forming up for another attack and Lily knew that Pandora would be timing her run with Dev Singh hitting the Bludger at the goalie just as Pandora crossed into the scoring area. She could see the Slytherin formation breaking as the Ravenclaws pressed the attack.  
  
“You had your eyes closed again.” Justine said. “How can you enjoy the match like that?”  
  
Lily smiled. Justine didn’t understand the ecstasy of flight. She didn’t get that flying was the ultimate freedom and she’d never understand why Lily would take off on her broom any chance she could to be over the ground and speeding along or just flying leisurely and taking in the view. She didn’t understand the feel of the broom or the way it responded to the slightest touch. But she understood that Lily enjoyed it, so she would let her go.  
  
“Lovegood-Potter with another goal. Ravenclaw 160, Slytherin 50.” Jake’s voice announced. “Slytherin’s protesting the goal. Yeardley’s claiming she wasn’t in the scoring area when Singh hit the Bludger. The Ref signals goal! Goal stands.”  
  
“You saw that coming, didn’t you?” Justine asked.  
  
Lily nodded. “It was the way that Pandora and Tyler were flying without looking. They’d set that play up in advance. Pandora and I used to use that formation on our under-15 team.”  
  
“I still don’t understand why you won’t play anymore. God knows Hufflepuff could use you, you’re down 200 points for the Quidditch cup.” Justine complained, not for the first time that day. Lily was sick of hearing it. She’d had to hear it from her housemates all year.  
  
“Please, Justine, give it a rest.” Lily got up and wandered the stands. She wished her father had been able to come today; he would have loved to see how Pandora was playing. Even Lily had a hard time picking fault with Pandora’s play today.  
  
She went to a concessionaire to buy a drink and then returned to the stands, sitting off by herself in a corner.  
  
“Johnson with a goal, and the score is Ravenclaw 200, Slytherin 50. It’s looking like even if Carrow catches the Snitch that Ravenclaw is going to win this match.”  
  
Lily did some quick calculations. If Ravenclaw caught the Snitch right now, Hufflepuff would be almost 500 points down for the Cup, which was all but impossible. If Slytherin caught the Snitch, then Hufflepuff would only be down 350 points, which was a tall order, but not impossible. This was just going to increase the pressure from her House to rejoin the team.  
  
She turned her attention back to the match, admiring her twin sister’s flying again. Pandora had improved so much the last year, and now didn’t rely just on her natural talent at flying, but practiced and practiced hard to become better. She’d definitely be a professional player. From the corner of her eye, Lily saw Carrow start to break his spiral pattern. He’d obviously spotted the Snitch, but it must have been close enough to the Ravenclaw Seeker that if he’d just charged after it, then the opposing Seeker would have noticed and gone after it.  
  
Carrow signaled one of the Slytherin Beaters to hit the Bludger at the Ravenclaw Seeker. While his attention was turned, Carrow sped across the pitch.  
  
“It’s a trick! Pay attention!” Pandora’s shout carried over the whole match, but it was too late. Carrow caught the Snitch just a foot from the Ravenclaw Seeker.  
  
“Carrow catches the Snitch. Match is over; Ravenclaw wins 220 to 200. LeTaille shuts out Slytherin after the first 15 minutes, and Lovegood-Potter is high goal scorer with 160 points.”  
  
Lily got up and left the pitch, wandering through the throng aimlessly. She didn’t want to go back to studying yet, and she wasn’t ready to see Justine again yet.  
  
“Lily! Hey, Lily!” Justine shouted at her. Lily stopped and waited for her.  
  
“Look, I’m sorry for being pushy earlier. Nguyen told me to try to convince you to rejoin.” She put her hand out and Lily took it.  
  
“I should have just told him to sod off. I know you don’t want to play anymore, even if I don’t understand why.” Lily’s frustration with Justine evaporated with the apology. It was hard to stay annoyed with Justine. They walked hand-in-hand together to the bridge. From behind they were so different; Lily short and dark-haired and Justine, tall and blonde. Lily was slim and athletic, a tom-boy who could actually pass for a boy if she tried, and Justine was curvy and very feminine.  
  
“It’s all right. I knew you were acting under orders.” Lily smiled and looked up at her girlfriend’s face.  
  
Justine glowered for a moment, then snorted, realizing that Lily was just winding her up. “Under orders, indeed.”  
  
The both watched the sun on the lake from the bridge in silence, Lily resting her head on Justine’s shoulders, and then they walked back to the entry to the castle together.  
  
“I need to get back and study,” Lily said. “I don’t want to, but I need to. My Potions assignment is ridiculously complicated.”  
  
“Ugh, I’m glad I don’t have to take Potions anymore. I was never much good at it.” Justine lowered her head and they kissed, lost in each other’s embrace for a moment.  
  
“See you at breakfast tomorrow?” She asked.  
  
Lily nodded. “See you at breakfast.”  
  
Lily started down the hallway by the kitchens heading to the Hufflepuff Common room. She just started tapping out the password on the barrels when her twin caught up to her.  
  
“Hey, you didn’t wait for me like normal,” Pandora said.  
  
“Sorry, Justine and I had a small row and I needed the time to calm down.” Lily sat on one of the barrels and Pandora sat next to her.  
  
“Is it all okay now?” Pandora asked.  
  
“Yeah, it’s all good now. She said that Nguyen had asked her to push me to rejoin the team.”  
  
Pandora frowned. “She should know by now that pushing you is not the way to go. It’ll just make your stubborn arse more likely to not rejoin.”  
  
Lily punched her sister lightly in the shoulder. “Arse.”  
  
Pandora hugged her tight. “Bitch.”  
  
“You really played well today, Dora,” Lily called her that only when no one else was around.  
  
“I’ve been practicing more seriously since you stopped playing.” She looked Lily in the eyes. “You know why.”  
  
Lily nodded. “You’ll definitely get a contract after school. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re asked to be a reserve for England for the Cup.”  
  
“I don’t want to be a reserve. I want to be a starter.” Pandora stood.  
  
“Daddy would like that. But you know he’s proud of you no matter what, right?” Lily asked.  
  
“I know, I know, but it still feels like I’ve let him down somehow.” Pandora sighed.  
  
Lily hugged her again. “I don’t think either of us could disappoint Dad. He’s got his head screwed on pretty good now. It’s not like just after Mum left anymore.”  
  
“I understand why you’re not playing anymore you know?” When Lily didn’t respond, Pandora looked at the floor. “I need to go to the after-party.”  
  
“Bye, Dora.”  
  
“Bye, Lily.”  
  
 Pandora left and Lily went into the Hufflepuff Common room.  
  
Nguyen and the rest of the Hufflepuff team were sitting at table just inside the door. They were partially hidden by the hanging ivies, but Lily would recognize Nguyen’s broad back anywhere. She tried to slip by quietly, using the foliage to cover her, but she was spotted.  
  
“Lovegood-Potter, we were just talking about you.” Nguyen’s deep voice came from his seat. “If we’re to have any chance at catching Ravenclaw, we need you. We need 380 points to tie and 390 to win, and we can’t do that without you.”  
  
“Even with me, that would be the third largest comeback in House Cup history,” Lily said walking to the table. She sat down across from Nguyen, admiring the way his dark hair framed his face and thinking that if she liked boys instead of girls, she’d be going for him.  
  
Everyone stared at her, waiting for her to speak.  
  
“Look, I can’t play anymore.” She said.  
  
“You’ve said that before, but you’ve never really explained why,” Palazzo said. He was the Chaser who’d taken her place when she’d stepped down.  
  
“It—it’s just not fun anymore.” She said lamely. “What I mean is that I enjoying flying, I enjoy watching Quidditch, but I just don’t feel the competitive urge anymore.” She pursed her lips. “I’m content right now.”  
  
Palazzo spoke first, “Look, I don’t mind going back to the reserves if it means we’ll have a chance. I’m not as good as you are and I know that. If we’re to have any chance to score enough to string the game along to score 390 points, then we’ll need to score a lot and keep the Gryffindor Seeker occupied and we can only do that with you on the pitch.”  
  
Nguyen reached across and gripped her hands. “Please Lily, we need you.”  
  
She looked into all of their pleading eyes, then lowered her head. “I’ll think about it.” She rose and went to her bedroom. Her roommate, Sally Dahl, was up and reading when Lily came in.  
  
“Did Nguyen get you as you came in?” Sally asked.  
  
Lily nodded and sat down on her bed. Her Kneazle, Kaiya poked her head out from under the covers and stalked out to sit on Lily’s lap. Her rumbling purr filled the room as Lily stroked her head.  
  
“Sorry, if I were better with the Patronus Charm, I would have sent you a message so you could avoid them.”  
  
“It’s okay, Sally, I’m here now with you and Kaiya.”  
  
“You know you can tell me what’s wrong, right?” Sally said.  
  
Lily pushed her head into Kaiya’s fur. “I know. I just don’t want to talk about it right now.”  
  
Sally got up and sat next to Lily. Kaiya pushed her head up so Sally could pet her too.  
  
“Look, I have a theory, if you’re willing to hear it?”  
  
Lily pushed her face further into Kaiya’s fur. “Okay.”  
  
“I know you’d do anything for Pandora, and you’re doing this—this not playing for her.” Sally said. “At first, I didn’t understand, but now I do. You’re trying to not show her up. You want her to look like the best player at Hogwarts. I’ve seen the scouts in the stands over the last two years, looking at both of you.”  
  
She paused, and when Lily didn’t say anything, continued.  
  
“I follow the Quidditch press and I know that Breckley’s going to leave the English team, and they’ll need a Chaser. You’re trying to make sure it’s her.”  
  
“I—Yes,” Lily admitted. “I’m afraid if I keep playing that they’ll sign me over her. I can wait to sign until after she’s picked up.”  
  
“Look, I understand that she’s your sister, but you should do what’s right. You should let the best woman win.” Sally stood. “It’s not really fair if she gets the spot you deserve because you didn’t even try.”  
  
Tears began to fall on Kaiya’s fur. Lily cried silently while Kaiya purred gently in her arms and Sally held her.  
  
“Get Justine and talk it through with her; she’ll tell you the same thing. She’d say be brave and confront this. If you’re better than your sister and get signed to England, then you deserve it. Do you really think that Pandora would love you less?”  
  
Lily lifted her head, shook it and wiped away the tears.  
  
“Thanks, Sally, you’re the best.”  
  
“I know.” Sally smiled. “I’d have to be the best to be your friend.”  
  
Lily summoned her Kneazle Patronus and sent it away with a message for Justine.  
  
“Meet me at the Quidditch pitch in fifteen minutes.”  
  
She dug around in her trunk and took out her Quidditch uniform. Nguyen hadn’t asked for it back yet. She slipped into it and took her broom.  
  
When she walked into the common room, all the heads turned toward her.  
  
“Right,” she said. “We’re not going to win the Quidditch Cup unless we practice.”  
  
Nguyen stood first. “Emergency practice now!” He shouted. “Get your gear and meet at the pitch in twenty minutes.”  
  
Lily whispered into Nguyen’s ear. “Make it twenty-five, I need to talk with Justine first.”  
  
“All right, twenty-five minutes, give you slackers some time to grab your gear!”  
  
Lily made her way to the pitch. There’d still be enough light left to do five or six run-throughs.  
  
Justine was waiting there for her. Her smile lit up in the waning light as she saw Lily approach in her Quidditch uniform.  
  
Lily stood on tiptoes and kissed her in greeting. “Tell your house-mates that I’m back and we’re going to spank their sorry arses hard.”  
  
“What changed your mind?” Justine asked, holding her close.  
  
“Sally did.” Lily said, smiling. “I’d not been playing because I knew that I’d likely be the one to take the open spot on the English roster instead of her and I didn’t want to do that to her. She wants it more than I do.”  
  
She paused and kissed Justine again, enjoying the silkiness of her hair in her hands and the softness of her lips and breasts against her.  
  
“Sally made me realize that it’s not fair play to just give it to Pandora. If I’m really better, than I should get the spot.”  
  
“You are better, love,” Justine said. “Sometimes you let your tender side overcome your competitive side.”  
  
Lily laughed. “Until we both started playing Quidditch I didn’t realize I had a competitive side. Daddy always said I was the lover and Pandora was the fighter.”  
  
“There’s no reason you can’t be both.” Justine gave her a passionate kiss. “Now go and practice, I’ll tell my house-mates to beware, the head bitch is back.”  
  
Lily squeezed Justine tightly.  
  
“Thanks for putting up with me.”  
  
“We love each other, we should.” Justine said, giving Lily one more quick peck.  
  
As she walked away, the Hufflepuff team arrived.  
  
“All right, marshmallows!” Nguyen shouted. “Let’s get to work!”  
  
Lily mounted her broom, pushed off from the ground and let the wind whip around her face for a moment before she started going through the paces with her team. 


End file.
